Feedback and Post Upgrade

As my username suggests, I'm the server guy and have been leading the upgrade and other optimizations of FSUniverse. I have been reading your feedback and making appropriate changes as I go along. In this thread, I will detail the changes and will ideally be able to get constructive feedback on how I can make the forums better for you.

So, you may have noticed that FSU went through a major upgrade a few days ago and this has drastically improved performance and reduced load on the server which is a major plus for everyone. But with this upgrade were tons of changes which some may be great while others not so great. It's my job to make sure everything is in tip top shape and you are browsing this forum at it's best.

New features!
As with every upgrade, new features are introduced. Well in this upgrade, quite a lot have come along including a new editor, auto saving of unfinished posts, better performance, better mobile styles, that sort of thing. There's basically too many to list and you'll find them as you go along. I remember reading someone seeing the new notification about Reputation comments and how that's useful.

Mobile Browsing
Another new addition by me is an improved mobile browsing experience from the palm of your hands. Right now, I have implemented three different methods of mobile browsing.

First up is Forum Runner support iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. You'll be able to browse the forum with Forum Runner, a dedicated application, that lets you browse on the go without having to fiddle with a desktop style.

Second is Tapatalk. Similar to Forum Runner but supports a lot more platforms including iDevices, Android, Blackberry and Google Chrome. Yes! If you install the Tapatalk Notifier to Google Chrome, you'll be alerted when you receive a new Private Message. Other than that, it's a dedicated application for browsing the forums, like Forum Runner but has a wider platform library.

Thirdly, is the Mobile Style. Browse from any mobile device (or PC if you fancy) with a dedicated mobile style optimized for low bandwidth use and works great on touch screen phones. It incorporates many features from the main forum so you're not really losing out either.

vBulletin 3 Style
Yes, many of you asked for it when I had a look around. You didn't like the change and thought it looked like many other vBulletin 4 boards. I have now brought back the vBulletin 3 style and it is the default style again. It looks slightly different to match with the changes that were brought along with vBulletin 4. The lips will also be brought back once they are adjusted for the new style, bare with me

Anti-Spam Solution
A solution has also been put in place to put an end or at least slowdown spammers by a great deal. Over the next few days, we'll be observing how this is working and I'm sure many of you will appreciate this change.

Other Changes
Over the next few days you'll be seeing new things around the site and also new systems being incorporated to ensure the smooth running of the site. New services have been implemented to improve performance, less database load and other techy things and you should be benefiting from these changes.

The whole purpose of this thread is basically to inform you of some new things and to get your feedback. For instance, do you want to see something in particular on the site? Don't like a certain aspect? Or anything else? Leave a comment and me or Sharpie will get back to you.

I know that the notifications tell you that you have rep (which is nice), but if you don't have a current rep, it was hard to find the messages. I found them once, but can't remember where. Is there a way to bring back something like the User CP from the old style?

Click to expand...

Never mind. I found it again. It's the settings link and it works the same was as the old User CP.

I got the notice about Tapatalk support but no search term within the app (fsuniverse, fsuniverse.net, figure skating universe, fsu) seems to bring it up. Do I just need to be patient or should it be there?

I got the notice about Tapatalk support but no search term within the app (fsuniverse, fsuniverse.net, figure skating universe, fsu) seems to bring it up. Do I just need to be patient or should it be there?

Help please... I am stuck with mobile style on my phone, as the "full site" link (...styleid=25 or styleid=27) is currently broken with "404 not found" error. Android + Opera Mini. Same on Dolphin browser in mobile style, where there is no cache problem.

Strangely, browsing on PC in mobile style, the "full site" link works fine.

I've noticed that when you hit reply to thread, you get taken to the quick reply area. Is that intentional or just something that needs to be fixed. I can live with it either way, but the reply to thread boxes were larger and you could your response without a lot of scrolling

I notice that when you do an advanced search by username, you get the threads that they posted in years and years ago. You can sort by date and get a few newer posts, but definitely not all of their newer stuff.

And with newer users (someone who joined in the last two years or so??), when you search for their posts, nothing at all comes up. (I owe somebody some rep and I can't find them...)

P.S. I didn't like the new look at first, but I'm already fine with things now and I'm already forgetting how the board used to look. Great work!